Condemned

4

BLAKE

After what felt like forever of walking, hiding and fearing for my life, Zack had finally led me up to the warehouse. It was beyond the wall that separated the faction from the abandoned land beyond it. And glancing all around, it was nothing but dried desert, dead plants and eerie darkness. The warehouse was a massive building that seemed to be run down, with some of the brick fallen to the floor and holes patched all across the place. Music could be heard blaring from inside, and peering in view, it seemed to be hundreds of Pisces crowded inside the space.

This felt wrong. I had never seen what lied beyond the faction walls, and didn't know people had access to it. It went on for miles, but as I searched for more buildings or people, there was nothing. Just this warehouse. I wondered what it used to be, before being colonized by rebellious and drunken Pisces.

What was this place?

"You having second thoughts?" Zack asked me. Looking up to him, he had his hands tucked into his hoodie to shield them from the cold night. The only light provided was from the moon above, and the flashing colored lights from inside the warehouse, spilling through the broken windows and downing on us.

"No, I just..." My eyes fell to the dirt below us. "I've never seen what was beyond these walls. Even the train ride here was passing through green land and beautiful scenery. Why are they hiding all of this? The ugly?"

Zack just shrugged. I felt like he knew more than he was saying. I could almost see the words hanging off his tongue as he decided to keep his mouth shut and spare me the details. It made me wonder how much Zack knew about the Government and their ways, and how much he failed to tell me.

"C'mon, let's go inside," he said instead, leading me to the warehouse.

I remained silent. Zack led me us both through the back entrance. He seemed to know his way around pretty well. The music was overwhelmingly loud, which made me curious as to how the Government never discovered this place. Many questions lurked inside my mind, but was interrupted by bodies bumping into me, left and right. The crowd of people were either dancing and grinding, drinking, passed out on the dirty couches, or on top of someone else. It looked like any other party I had ever been to, but definitely did not feel like it.

"Want a drink?"

Zack nudged his head towards the tables of alcohol, knowing I could hardly hear his shouts over the music.

Typically—being me—I would decline, but tonight, I refused to be me.

"Sure." I shrugged. "Surprise me."

Zack seemed taken back by my spontaneous behavior, and disappeared off to the tables to grab us both some booze. A smirk lingered on his face.

Being left alone towards the back, I leaned against the brick walls and folded my arms to my chest, deeming myself unapproachable. I didn't want random guys swinging by and trying to take me somewhere private, or offer me a drink with God knows what in it. I came here for Zack, and for a cause.